Disability Discrimination

On February 15, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the ADA Education and Reform Act, HR 620, by a vote of 225 to 192. The bill aims to curb “drive by” public accommodation suits by requiring that potential plaintiffs first give notice to the allegedly offending business – along with the opportunity to fix the problem – before filing an ADA suit.

This week the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that a fired medical marijuana user can pursue a disability discrimination claim against her former employer under the state’s anti-discrimination law. The decision is significant because it’s the first time a state’s highest court has recognized that the protections afforded under an anti-discrimination law extend to employees who use medicinal marijuana to treat disabilities.

About Steptoe

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